Technical Accountant

Collinson; Haywards Heath; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity awaits as an External Reporting Accountant in a leading global firm. Join a dynamic team at the forefront of implementing new IFRS standards, ensuring compliance, and enhancing financial reporting processes. This role offers a unique blend of oversight and detailed involvement, allowing for personal and professional growth. You'll be pivotal in advising on accounting policies, supporting the Financial Reporting teams, and liaising with external providers. If you're driven, detail-oriented, and eager to contribute to innovative financial solutions, this position is perfect for you.

Benefits

Life Assurance Scheme

Personal Income Protection

Private Medical

Discounted Gym Membership

Wellness Advice and Support

Cycle to Work Scheme

Priority Pass Membership

Travel Insurance

Qualifications

• Experience in a similar role with an accounting qualification is essential.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge and reporting experience required.

Responsibilities

• Support Financial Reporting teams with accounting implications and compliance.
• Contribute to projects on UK GAAP/IFRS amendments and new business assessments.

Skills

Technical Accounting Knowledge

Insurance Accounting

Communication Skills

Organizational Skills

Problem-Solving

Education

ACCA

ACA

CIMA

Equivalent Qualification

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

Collinson Group is a global leader in driving loyalty and engagement for many of the world’s largest companies, predominantly through the provision of travel-related benefits within a market-leading digital travel ecosystem. The group offers a unique blend of industry and sector specialists who together provide market-leading experience in delivering products and services across four core capabilities: Loyalty, Lifestyle Benefits, and Insurance.

The group provides unrivalled insight and expertise around affluent consumers and frequent travellers, creating and delivering products and services now accessible to over 400m end consumers.

We have more than 25 years’ experience, with 28 global locations, servicing over 800 clients in 170 countries, employing 1,800 people.

We have been bringing innovation to the market since inception – from launching the first independent global VIP lounge access Programme, Priority Pass, to being the first to sell direct travel insurance in the UK through Columbus Direct and creating the first loyalty agency of its kind in the travel sector with ICLP. Today we still invest heavily in innovation to ensure that we continue to deliver superior customer experiences.

What does an External Reporting Accountant at Collinson do?

This is an exciting time to be joining the team as the European Insurance Company transitions across to the latest standards (IFRS 17 and IFRS 9), and you will be at the forefront of their delivery, embedding new processes and the transition across to business as usual.

This role has a wide remit ensuring we stay up to date reporting under the latest UK GAAP and IFRS standards for our European insurance entities while also providing guidance, support, and insight to the wider Insurance teams on accounting policy decisions, interpretation of financial standards, and preparing audit positioning papers in support of our accounting policies.

You will help ensure we have suitable processes in place and assist with system processes and design, ensuring we stay up to date and in line with current and future reporting developments. As part of a team, you will help us improve and streamline our reporting capabilities as we integrate new systems ensuring they stand up to external scrutiny. In addition, you will be advising on potential changes to existing transactions, products, and policies ahead of new standards and regulations coming into force as part of a wider best practice mindset.

This is a unique role offering oversight in Financial Reporting along with the opportunity to be involved in the detail of embedding new standards, system implementations, documentation, and sign-off of new processes, policies, and procedures. The role is deliberately broad to encourage the right individual's personal and professional development within the team.

Your duties will include and are not limited to the following activities and tasks:

• Support the Financial Reporting teams and provide advice on the accounting implications of their business, actively ensuring that they are aware of all forthcoming technical accounting changes and the impacts thereof;
• Ensuring the ongoing compliance of new and existing reporting standards and requirements at an entity level for the European division;
• Contribute to projects from a Technical Accounting perspective on the impact assessment and implementation of UK GAAP/IFRS amendments;
• Support the new business/product assessment process, assisting the relevant Financial Reporting team in structuring activities, advising on the impact of new transactions on the company's accounts, and coordinating responses across the finance function;
• Help deliver technical standards IFRS 17 and IFRS 9 into business as usual;
• Key review point for adherence to technical reporting;
• Support the timely and accurate submission of annual Statutory Reporting for all European entities;
• Ensuring robust, accurate, and up-to-date documentation is in place for all new and existing accounting policies and processes;
• Liaising with external service providers;
• Ensuring a first-class service is delivered to customers internal and external to the Collinson Group.

About you

To be successful in your application, you’ll have experience of working within a similar role alongside an accountancy qualification (ACCA, ACA, CIMA, or Equivalent).

This role will require strong technical accounting knowledge and experience creating financial statements and reporting requirements, alongside a proven understanding of Insurance Accounting to support IFRS 17.

Key skills and experience to be evidenced within your application include:

• Strong technical knowledge and understanding of other financial standards and reporting requirements along with a proven understanding of Insurance Accounting to support IFRS 17;
• Familiarity with working with large datasets within the MS Office suite of products;
• Ability to communicate with and develop working relationships internally and externally to achieve the best outcomes for the business and customer;
• High personal levels of motivation and delivery-oriented focus while working well under pressure;
• An initiative-taking, forward-looking, and challenging mindset with detail-focused and strong organization and planning skills;
• Knowledge and experience of best practices within the industry to consistently improve delivery within the department.

You can look forward to a competitive salary, pension scheme, and further benefits:

• Life Assurance Scheme
• Personal Income Protection
• Private Medical
• Discounted gym membership
• Wellness advice and support
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Priority Pass Membership (Collinson Exclusive)
• Travel Insurance (Collinson Exclusive)

Collinson is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes differences in all their forms including: colour, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, neurodivergence, family status, age, individuals with disabilities, and people from all backgrounds, cultures, and experiences as we strongly believe this contributes to our ongoing success.

We are focused on continually evolving our purpose-driven, high-performing culture, providing an environment where our people have the opportunity to achieve their full potential and do interesting and meaningful work. Our company values are: Act smarter, Do the right thing, One team, and Be insight-led. These help guide everything we do internally in terms of how we think, act, and interact, right through to how we deliver value to our customers and clients.

In your application, please feel free to note which pronouns you use (For example - she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs, etc).

We also have our very own Beacons (Domestic Abuse Advisors) supporting within each of our global offices. Our Beacons will be your point of contact if you or someone you know needs support.